An inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, such as an air bag, is inflated upon the occurrence of a vehicle collision. Inflation fluid is directed to flow from a source of inflation fluid into the air bag to inflate the air bag. The inflation fluid expands the air bag from a stored condition to an inflated condition in which the air bag extends into the vehicle occupant compartment. When the air bag is inflated into the occupant compartment, it restrains an occupant of the vehicle from forcefully striking parts of the vehicle.
The air bag is concealed from the occupant compartment when it is stored in the vehicle. A deployment door typically extends over the stored air bag to conceal it from the occupant compartment. The inflating air bag is directed against the deployment door to open and move the deployment door out of the path of the air bag when the air bag is inflated and moved into the occupant compartment.
The air bag is stored in an air bag module which is mounted in the vehicle. The module includes the source of inflation fluid, and also includes the deployment door. When the module is mounted in the vehicle, the deployment door fits closely with the structure of the vehicle in which the module is mounted. For example, a particular type of air bag module is mounted in the instrument panel of the vehicle. Such an air bag module is received in an opening in the instrument panel. The deployment door extends across the opening in the instrument panel to conceal the air bag and the other parts of the module from the occupant compartment. The deployment door thus fits closely with the instrument panel so as to have the appearance of a continuous part of the instrument panel. Therefore, the air bag module, and particularly the deployment door, is designed and assembled with reference to the instrument panel in which it is to be mounted.
In the prior art, such an air bag module is inspected manually to determine if it will fit as intended with the particular instrument panel for which it is designed. The module is clamped on an inspecting stand by manually turning a plurality of screw threaded clamps which engage the module on the inspecting stand. When the module is thus clamped on the inspecting stand, it is oriented such that a plurality of predetermined gauge points on the deployment door have nominal positions relative to the inspecting stand. The nominal positions of the gauge points on the deployment door are predetermined with reference to the particular instrument panel for which the module is designed. A hand-held measuring tool is used to measure the displacements of the gauge points from their nominal positions on the inspecting stand. The measured displacements are recorded manually, and the fit of the module is then determined in view of the recorded displacement data.
The prior art inspecting method, including clamping the air bag module on the inspecting stand, measuring and recording the displacements of the gauge points from their nominal positions, and subsequently unclamping the module for removal from the inspecting stand, is time consuming and can cause a substantial delay in the production of the module.